Twitter Is Opening A Huge New Revenue Stream

At long last, Twitter has announced it will allow all advertisers
to purchase its mobile app install ads, which ask people if
they want to download or use a mobile app while they're browsing
Twitter on their phones.

Twitter has been testing the app install ads with
select partners since at least November, and now it is opening
the function up to anyone else who would like to use its
self-serve ad platform.

Here's what they'll look like:Twitter

This should provide a major boost to Twitter's bottom line in
light of how successful mobile app install ads have
been for Facebook, its chief rival in social media, and the
overwhelming tendency of Twitter users to access the site from
their mobile devices.

Because app stores can still be disorganized and hard to find
things in, app install ads are valuable to developers looking to
break through the clutter, as well as to users who might not
otherwise hear about their new favorite app.

On Facebook, the ads have helped startups and mobile game
developers get the attention of the service's vast user base and
have driven more than 350 million app
downloads since the product debuted in 2012.

In its testing process, Twitter said its advertisers were
similarly pleased with the app install ads.

According to a press release announcing the news, the mobile game
maker Dots used Twitter app install ads to drive downloads of its
new game TwoDots, while the ride-sharing service Lyft also
used the ads to great effect.

"During the beta, we were able to quickly and effectively reach
our growth goals via Twitter for 30% below the originally
targeted cost," Daniel Riaz, Lyft's head of
mobile acquisition, said in a statement.

Twitter will allow developers and brands to choose from several
payment options, with advertisers being able to pay for every app
install, purchase, or use by someone who clicks on one of the
ads.

Advertisers will be able to target users by interests, keywords,
and the TV shows they watch, and they'll also be able to provide
their own data to target by gender, geography, language, and
mobile device.